Solid body Electric Ukulele?

PurpleHaze

PurpleHaze

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In the land of purple awesomeness.
How many options are there exactly when it comes to a silid-bodied electric ukulele?

Are there any specific models you have played and like? Please post pictures. Thanks.
 
Since you seem to love purple as much as I do.. I have an eleuke K series tenor in purple (really its violet, dark purple would be amazing). I got it from Mim. There's a photo of it in an album on my profile.
It's the only one I have played (solid body) I love it to pieces. It has tone and volume knobs, an mp3/ipod input, headphone jack and 1/4 in. jack for amp.
Great price and lots of fun...
 
I play a Risa Tenor solid. It's a very unusual looking ukulele. It plays very easily. Its neck is the fastest I've ever played. It takes amplification very well. Although it can sound a bit trebly, this is easily adjusted for with a simple EQ effect. In gigs, I run this through a Korg A4 Effects Processor and then through a Fender Mustang Amp.

tenorstick.jpg


I don't have any photos of my particular Risa handy but you can see me playing it a bit in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2lXRlb8Ig


At around 0:28, the solo on the Risa starts. This is the raw sound of the uke played straight into Garage Band with a clean tone. I found it to be a bit trebly. Since this video was made, I played with processors and amps until I came up with my current set-up. I'm pretty happy with it now.
 
musicmonsterw said:
I play a Risa Tenor solid. It's a very unusual looking ukulele. It plays very easily. Its neck is the fastest I've ever played. It takes amplification very well. Although it can sound a bit trebly, this is easily adjusted for with a simple EQ effect. In gigs, I run this through a Korg A4 Effects Processor and then through a Fender Mustang Amp.

tenorstick.jpg


I don't have any photos of my particular Risa handy but you can see me playing it a bit in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2lXRlb8Ig


At around 0:28, the solo on the Risa starts. This is the raw sound of the uke played straight into Garage Band with a clean tone. I found it to be a bit trebly. Since this video was made, I played with processors and amps until I came up with my current set-up. I'm pretty happy with it now.
Click to expand...

Ronin, that was a great video! Was that your twin brother harmonizing with you?
 
I can vouch for the quality of the eleuke. It is 100% awesome. It can do pretty much every genre of music. It rocks so hard.
 
I know of three, have only played one. That is of course if you are talking about steel stringed solid bodies with magnetic pick-ups.
I own a Risa "kidney bean". I absolutely adore it, but they are getting herder to find. Risa also makes a "Les Paul" steel string, and it is a LOT prettier than the kidney bean, and a lot more expensive. My kidney has a great tone and is perfect chimey surf style with it's lipstick pickups. The only thing I would wish for really would be a tapered neck (it seems pretty straight to me). Here is a complete review of it .
Next up is a Monkey Wrench- I was originally looking at these as they are BEAUTIFUL, but could not get a contact back- sent the email that said hey take my money and never got a reply, so I sent that money to the person who owned my Risa. That is neither here nor there- folks who have them like them a lot and like I said- pretty. Really pretty.
Last one is a Jupiter Creek. I have never seen one of these or heard one played, but they look pretty darn good- fellow is a one man show though and availability is limited.
You have these as well, but I have never heard of anyone who has owned one.

Aside from that, there is the idea of a really small electric guitar (tuned ADGCEA), 1/4 size would make a decent six string and I think Fender makes these.
There are also solid bodied nylon stringed electric ukes that use transducer pickups- Eleuke is the one to buy, steer clear of the Stagg (from what I have heard)- quick internet search will show you all kinds of these out there, but if you go this route, go Mim's Ukes. Hope that helps- remember, a steel string ukulele is a whole different breed of cat- they feel and sound absolutely nothing like a regular uke.
 
I also saw locally a - I believe - sold body Fluke Electric Uke. But did not get a chance to try it. My first e-uke will most likely be a cigar box uke with an electric p/u - it will be a winter project in december
 
Good choice Captain- My first electric was built in my garage out of an old Cigar box and I love the thing- one of my favorite players...
Totally forgot that Fluke's were available as a solid body electric- transducer pickup and nylon strings right?
 
TCK said:
Next up is a Monkey Wrench- I was originally looking at these as they are BEAUTIFUL, but could not get a contact back- sent the email that said hey take my money and never got a reply, so I sent that money to the person who owned my Risa. That is neither here nor there- folks who have them like them a lot and like I said- pretty. Really pretty.
Click to expand...

That's too bad...Jim was quite prompt in responding to my many emails when commissioning a tenor from him. I've never played a Risa but I absolutely love my Monkey Wrench...it's gorgeous and plays really well.
 
I've been looking into this for a while and the one I most like the look of is the Risa Uke'Ellie but they don't seem to be available anywhere. Perhaps they've been discontinued? I do like the look of the Risa Solid but I'm a little put off by the lack of a headstock., Also I read that it has a fairly square profile neck which doesn't really appeal to me. This leaves Eleuke or Clearwater and I'm still pondering which I prefer the look of.
 
Nuprin said:
That's too bad...Jim was quite prompt in responding to my many emails when commissioning a tenor from him. I've never played a Risa but I absolutely love my Monkey Wrench...it's gorgeous and plays really well.
Click to expand...

I've been curious about these. Do you have a sample video or audio? I'd be curious to hear one. Also, what amp do you use with yours?
 
Ambient Doughnut said:
I've been looking into this for a while and the one I most like the look of is the Risa Uke'Ellie but they don't seem to be available anywhere. Perhaps they've been discontinued? I do like the look of the Risa Solid but I'm a little put off by the lack of a headstock., Also I read that it has a fairly square profile neck which doesn't really appeal to me. This leaves Eleuke or Clearwater and I'm still pondering which I prefer the look of.
Click to expand...

I found that the lack of the headstock on the Risa didn't bother me once I got used to it. It does take a little orientation at first. And, I find it fun sometimes to wrap my hand around the top of the neck where the headstock would normally be. I do this more for show than for technique but it's fun.

Again, out of all the solid-body electrics I've tried, I think the Risa has the fastest response. The fingerboard feels like it bounces your fingers back at ya. I've tried Eleukes and the feel just does not appeal to me. However, a lot of people seem to like it. so, to each his/her own, I guess.
 
I have three solid body nylon string electric ukes. Two of them are Pete Howlett (www.petehowlettukulele.co.uk) Uklectics, concert scale. Here's me playing one (this one is actually the prototype, and it's been my main gigging uke for over 4 years).
Uklectic.jpg

The other is a Rob Collins (www.tinguitar.com) airline solid soprano. It's an 'airline' because it's one of the ukes he has made specifically to fit with budget airline hand luggage requirements. It's actually exactly the same length as a Risa solid soprano, even though it's full soprano scale and has a headstock! In fact, it lives in a sopranino gibag!
collins.jpg

Both of these guys are UK based luthiers. Incidentally, neither uke is actually completely solid, they are both 'chambered', though this is primarily to reduce weight.

I love playing solid body. I regularly gig through large PA systems and there's never a problem with feedback of nasty resonances.
 
Last edited:
If you can afford one, I second the suggestion of a Pete Howlett. Picked mine up second hand on eBay for £350 (originally cost the guy waaayyy more) and have gigged with it ever since.



On a smaller budget, you can't go wrong with one built by Rob Collins.
 
Well, the Rob Collins came to me by way of the other half of the Re-entrants, Ian, and some swapping of gear! Rob is really approachable though, and whilst he will do you a really blingy one if you want, the basic unadorned models are very reasonably priced indeed.
 
musicmonsterw said:
I've been curious about these. Do you have a sample video or audio? I'd be curious to hear one. Also, what amp do you use with yours?
Click to expand...

I haven't made a video with it yet. I'll try to get one done in the next couple of weeks. I'm using a Vox AC4 along with a few pedals...Keeley Compressor, Ibanez TS808, ElectroHarmonix Holy Grail Plus, & ElectroHarmonix Pog2).
 
TCK said:
I know of three, have only played one. That is of course if you are talking about steel stringed solid bodies with magnetic pick-ups.
I own a Risa "kidney bean". I absolutely adore it, but they are getting herder to find. Risa also makes a "Les Paul" steel string, and it is a LOT prettier than the kidney bean, and a lot more expensive. My kidney has a great tone and is perfect chimey surf style with it's lipstick pickups. The only thing I would wish for really would be a tapered neck (it seems pretty straight to me). Here is a complete review of it .
Next up is a Monkey Wrench- I was originally looking at these as they are BEAUTIFUL, but could not get a contact back- sent the email that said hey take my money and never got a reply, so I sent that money to the person who owned my Risa. That is neither here nor there- folks who have them like them a lot and like I said- pretty. Really pretty.
Last one is a Jupiter Creek. I have never seen one of these or heard one played, but they look pretty darn good- fellow is a one man show though and availability is limited.
You have these as well, but I have never heard of anyone who has owned one.

Aside from that, there is the idea of a really small electric guitar (tuned ADGCEA), 1/4 size would make a decent six string and I think Fender makes these.
There are also solid bodied nylon stringed electric ukes that use transducer pickups- Eleuke is the one to buy, steer clear of the Stagg (from what I have heard)- quick internet search will show you all kinds of these out there, but if you go this route, go Mim's Ukes. Hope that helps- remember, a steel string ukulele is a whole different breed of cat- they feel and sound absolutely nothing like a regular uke.
Click to expand...

I have the red kidney bean tenor. A professional grade instrument, it will give you as much tone as your amp can handle.
 
fitncrafty said:
Since you seem to love purple as much as I do.. I have an eleuke K series tenor in purple (really its violet, dark purple would be amazing). I got it from Mim. There's a photo of it in an album on my profile.
It's the only one I have played (solid body) I love it to pieces. It has tone and volume knobs, an mp3/ipod input, headphone jack and 1/4 in. jack for amp.
Great price and lots of fun...
Click to expand...

Cool. :) The only think I don't like about the eleuke is the strange F-hole type things on the body. If they made one without those, you bet I'd be saving up.

musicmonsterw said:
I play a Risa Tenor solid. It's a very unusual looking ukulele. It plays very easily. Its neck is the fastest I've ever played. It takes amplification very well. Although it can sound a bit trebly, this is easily adjusted for with a simple EQ effect. In gigs, I run this through a Korg A4 Effects Processor and then through a Fender Mustang Amp.

tenorstick.jpg


I don't have any photos of my particular Risa handy but you can see me playing it a bit in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2lXRlb8Ig



At around 0:28, the solo on the Risa starts. This is the raw sound of the uke played straight into Garage Band with a clean tone. I found it to be a bit trebly. Since this video was made, I played with processors and amps until I came up with my current set-up. I'm pretty happy with it now.
Click to expand...

Nice. :)

TCK said:
Good choice Captain- My first electric was built in my garage out of an old Cigar box and I love the thing- one of my favorite players...
Totally forgot that Fluke's were available as a solid body electric- transducer pickup and nylon strings right?
Click to expand...

I've also come across something called a konablaster. Those any good? I've been tempted to make my own electric uke.
 
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